Anti-abortion display stirs mixed emotions

The Center for Bio-Ethical Reform tried to deliver its message to the inhabitants of East Halls yesterday. However, their message was not well received by many of the women who walked past the photo display.

The center's display, called the Genocide Awareness Project, was exhibited yesterday in East Halls Quad. The display, which is scheduled to be at the HUB today, combines images from the Holocaust and of violence against African Americans and compares them to abortion in the United States.

The group hopes to change women's minds about being pro-choice, said Greg Cunningham, director of the center.

"We're trying to reach the people who still have a functioning conscience. There's nothing we can say to the people who don't have a conscience, but most people do have a conscience. Most people who are pro-choice have a functioning conscience -- they're just confused," Cunningham said.

Cunningham said several students have admitted the display changed their opinions about abortion.

However, several University women said their views were not changed.

"I don't think it's going to change anyone's mind. The whole meaning behind pro-choice is that it's your choice -- you may not believe that abortion is right, and you may not want to have an abortion yourself, but you can't take that right away from someone else," said Maria Valiente (freshman-psychology).

The use of graphic images does not sway views as much as the group may hope, said Lynda Ganley (freshman-nutrition).

"This doesn't make me sympathetic to their cause, it makes me angry," she added.

Numerous University women expressed anger about the display.

"It doesn't change my mind about abortion . . . I stand where I stand on abortion to begin with and (the display) doesn't influence me either way. It angers me," said Laura Florio (freshman-marketing).

Seeing these images can have an adverse impact on students in an academic environment, said Linda LaSalle, assistant director for the Center for Women Students.

"I think it would be very difficult to see these images and then walk into a classroom afterwards. We are more worried about what this does to the academic environment," LaSalle said.

Other women expressed concern over the effects the images might have on female students who have had abortions.

"I imagine that (the images) would be very difficult for women who have had an abortion to see," LaSalle said.

Using this display, the Center for Bio-Ethical Reform hopes to affect women who have had abortions, Cunningham said. The images will have a lasting effect on women and all students at the University, Cunningham said.

"We're going to leave, but the pictures are forced to stay in your heads," he said.

But no one should point an accusing finger at any woman who has made such a difficult decision, said Jill Dworzanski co-director of Womyn's Concerns.

"Anyone who would purposely make a woman feel badly about such a traumatic experience should be ashamed," Dworzanski said.